Apparatus for printing a plurality of photographic prints from a single negative or transparency onto a single sheet of photographic paper are well known in the prior art. Photographic paper is typically purchased in large sheets, such is 8.times.10 inches, which can be exposed in smaller portions for pictures of various sizes. The large sheet of photographic paper is covered while positioning and focusing is accomplished. Then, after the paper has been positioned and the enlarger focused, a portion of the paper is exposed while other portions of the paper are covered.
Typically, some light is required during the positioning and focusing steps, and it is therefore necessary to cover the entire sheet of photographic paper to preserve its integrity and avoid exposure, thereby ruining the paper.
One method for accomplishing this desired task, is in the provision of an easel with a multiplicity of covers arranged to selectively mask portions of a sheet of photographic paper. In such devices, a cover is opened so as to expose the photographic paper beneath the opened cover. The easel is then moved to a new position wherein another cover is located within the beam of an enlarger bulb, the enlarger is focused, and the exposing process is repeated. The main disadvantage of such a device is that the enlarger must be turned on and off two times for each print. One step requires the enlarger to be turned on to position the covered paper. The enlarger is then shut off and the paper uncovered before the enlarger is turned on again to expose the photographic paper to obtain the print. As a result, the production of a plurality of prints on a single sheet of paper requires a relatively large amount of time.
Prior art easels providing for the printing of a plurality of prints on a single sheet of photographic paper have serious deficiencies, because of the relatively large amount of time required to make prints, and the fact that such easels are relatively complex, making them expensive and difficult to manipulate in total darkness.